Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Jesus left the house and sat by the sea. Great crowds gathered around him, so he got into a boat that was already there, with his disciples on board. They pushed off from land and set sail, while he sat in the boat and taught the people from it.

He spoke to them in parables, saying, "A farmer went out to sow some seeds. As he scattered the seed, some fell by the side of the road and was eaten by birds. Some landed on rocky ground where there wasn't much soil, and as soon as they sprouted up, they withered away because they had no deep roots.

"When the sun came up, it scorched them and they dried out completely. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them out. But some seed fell in good soil and produced a harvest of grain, with some producing 100 bushels, some 60, and some 30."

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him listen carefully." The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "It's because it is given to you to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it hasn't been given to them. If I were to explain everything plainly to them, they wouldn't be able to see or hear or understand.

"For this reason, I speak to them in parables: seeing, they don't perceive; hearing, they don't listen or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says, 'You will hear and hear, but never understand; you will see and see, but never comprehend.'"

Jesus said, "Blessed are your eyes because they see, and blessed are your ears because they hear! Many prophets and righteous people yearned to see what you're seeing now, but they didn't have the chance. They longed to hear what you're hearing now, but it was denied them."

Then Jesus began to explain the parable of the farmer who sowed seeds in his field: "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was planted in their heart. This is the person who received seed by the side of the road.

"The one who received seed on rocky ground is the person who hears the word with joy but has no deep roots. When trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they quickly become offended and wither away. The one who received seeds among thorns represents someone who hears the message but allows worldly worries and deceitful riches to choke out its life-giving power.

"But the person who received seed in good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, producing a harvest of 30, 60, or even 100 bushels."

Jesus told another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. When the plants grew tall and produced grain, the weeds also became visible.

"The servant asked the farmer, 'Didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?' The farmer replied, 'An enemy did this.' The servants wanted to pull up the weeds, but the farmer said, 'No, if you pull them out now, you'll also pull up some of the wheat with them.

"Let both grow together until harvest. At that time I will tell my reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles for burning. Then they can bring the grain into my storage barn.'"

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds but grows into a large tree. It's also like yeast that a woman mixes into three measures of flour until it's fully incorporated.

Jesus taught the crowd using many parables, and without using parables, he didn't teach them anything at all. This was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet: "I will speak in parables; I will tell secrets since the creation of the world."

After Jesus finished teaching the crowd, he sent them away, and his disciples came to him asking for an explanation of the parable about the weeds in the field. He replied, "The farmer who sows good seed is the Son of Man.

"The field represents the world, and the children of the kingdom are like the good seeds that grow there. The enemy who planted the weeds is the devil, and the harvest represents the end of this age. The reapers are the angels."

As the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send his angels to gather out of his kingdom everything that causes offense and those who practice lawlessness.

They will throw them into a furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Whoever has ears, let him hear!

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field that someone found and buried again out of joy. He sold everything he had to buy that field.

It's also like a merchant who was looking for valuable pearls. When he found one pearl of great value, he went and sold all his belongings to buy it.

The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea that catches every kind of fish. When they filled their nets, they brought them ashore and sorted out the good fish from the bad ones, throwing away the ones that weren't worth keeping.

At the end of this age, angels will appear to separate the wicked from those who live righteously and cast the wicked into a furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus asked his disciples, "Have you understood all these things?" They replied, "Yes, Lord." Jesus said that every teacher of God's word is like a master of a household who brings out from their treasure both new and old teachings.

When Jesus had finished teaching in parables, he left there. He went to his hometown and taught in the synagogue with such authority that they were amazed and asked each other, "Where did this man get his wisdom and perform these remarkable deeds?

"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Hasn't his mother named Mary given birth to him, and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? His sisters are here with us too. So where has he learned all these things?"

The people were offended by Jesus, but he said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in their hometown." He didn't perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Jesus left the synagogue and went on his way.